I am planning to add a greenhouse to my tort enclosure to try to beat the wonderful Yorkshire weather. If my torts spend everyday in the greenhouse due to a poor summer for example, will they need a uv bulb in the greenhouse or will a simple basking bulb suffice. I suppose what I am really asking is will the torts get enough uv exposure in a greenhouse? Or does the glass/polycarb filter too much out.

Rachel.

The greenhouse will filter it Rachel. There is polycarbonate you can get that allows UV through but it is very expencive. I think I am correct in saying that just leaving the door open will allow uv in, I can remember reading that somewhere but someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Lin

Hi Rachel and Lin

I've just put a link on to the Site of a company that supplies the UV perspex Lin is referring to.  At one time they didn't supply it in small sheets but apparently they cut it to your requirements now.  Check out the equipment suppliers in the Links section of the Website.

I have a UVB meter and to be honest I was disappointed at the amount of UVB that reached the tortoises through open doors and windows; so during the spring and autumn months I use UVB basking bulbs and in the summer - like from now on in Yorkshire  I use ordinary incandescent basking bulbs.  That's how I do it but others might do it differently.

HTH

Helen

Thank you both of you. I will be bringing them in on a night still due to their small size but using a greenhouse is becoming a priority as Socks is sulking and I think it's because she's become used to going outside.But the weather has been terrible for the last fortnight and she hasn't gone out much so a greenhouse would be the answer. I will look at the details of the polycarbonate company as it's safer for us to use that than glass anyway due to our son.

Thanks again.

Rachel